Each year we raise funds for a variety of expenditures and programs.  When you send us a donation you can designate where you want it spent. We will send you a Canadian tax receipt and a copy of our annual newsletter in return. We also provide certificates if you wish to give a gift to a friend or give a donation as a memoriam.  Simply indicate your wishes when sending a donation. The following donation options are available.

General Expenditures 
Donations that are not earmarked for specific projects can be used to help us with general operations.  Designating your donation as "general" also lets the Research Station use the money where it is most needed in a given year.

The Whale Conservation Fund
Begun in 1997, the Whale Conservation Fund is primarily directed toward business operators in the Grand Manan area who wish to contribute a portion of their fee to whale conservation. Donations can also be accepted from individuals or businesses from other areas with an interest in whale conservation.

The money collected is used for specific projects as directed by those who contribute each year. For example money has been used for 1.) purchase of film and slide holders for the right whale identification project in the Bay of Fundy coordinated by the New England Aquarium, 2.) costs incurred to travel to the Right Whale Consortium meeting, and 3.) costs incurred for travel and contributions to the Right Whale Recovery Plan, 4.) updating our natural history museum, 5.) the distribution of educational material about whale conservation in the Bay of Fundy.

Tax receipts can be issued for any money donated to the Whale Conservation Fund.


Adopt Right Whales
You can help us save the North Atlantic right whale by adopting an individual whale, a mother/calf pair, or a whole family! The tax deductible fee will go directly towards our costs for right whale research, conservation and education programs. We can also tailor individual adoptions for class projects.
Visit www.AdoptRightWhales.ca.

Photograph: Laurie Murison

Regular Business Contributors to WCF: Grand Manan SeaLand Adventures Island Quest Marine Sea Watch Tours Tall Ship Whale Adventures Whales-n-Sails Adventures Individuals also contribute to the Fund

The Harbour Porpoise Release Program
This long-running program has helped release over 600 harbour porpoises from herring weirs since it was initiated by the Research Station in 1991.  Release techniques have also been developed for minke, humpback, and right whales, with most whales now being successfully released alive.  By working with local weir fishermen, Research Station staff members are able to release porpoises alive from weirs without affecting the herring catch, while simultaneously gaining an opportunity to study the ecology, health, and behaviour of these animals.  Donations to the HPRP help to defray the costs of housing staff, seining, and operating release boats.

The Gaskin Fellowship 
To mark the millennium, to increase our contribution to the young people of Bay of Fundy and to pay tribute to the late Dr. Gaskin we now offer a paid summer internship. Dedicated to the station's founder, this fund enables the station to hire a local student as an intern each summer.  Begun in 2000, the program is designed to give its participants exposure to and training in various aspects of marine biology as they assist with the daily. Preference is given to (in the following order) residents of Grand Manan, Charlotte County, Bay of Fundy, and Maritime provinces. 

The Building Fund
Our facility is in need of expansion.  Unfortunately it is often difficult to receive grants for capital expenditures so we slowly raise funds to update and add to the physical structure.

The Fundy Bird Observatory (FBO) or Seabird Research
Begun in 1998 as a project to help support the banding of song birds during spring and fall migration, the FBO has also participated in winter surveys of razorbills and common murres in the Bay of Fundy and helped work to restore a nesting colony of common terns on Sheep Island from 2002 to 2005. No projects are currently in place, however, we are doing other seabird research. Donations will be used for this work.